Working meeting between Vladimir Putin and Alexey Miller takes place

A working meeting between Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and Alexey Miller took place in St. Petersburg.

Alexey Miller briefed Vladimir Putin on Gazprom's efforts for providing reliable gas supplies to both Russian and foreign consumers in the winter period.

The meeting also touched on gas infrastructure expansion in Russian regions and the Gazprom for Children social project.

Shorthand record

Vladimir Putin: How are you doing, Mr. Miller?

Alexey Miller: All our operations are going on as usual, Mr. President.

Gazprom provides reliable gas supplies to Russian consumers in the autumn/winter period. The country has gone through the first winter peak. The first half of December turned out to be cold in the area covered by Russia's Unified Gas Supply System, and an entire week of that period had abnormally low temperatures in many Russian regions. It should also be noted that Gazprom has to the full extent satisfied all of the requests and met all of the needs. On December 8 and 13, we delivered 1.717 billion cubic meters of gas from the Unified Gas Supply System to our consumers. Mr. President, it is the biggest volume that has ever been delivered in December during the autumn/winter period in the entire history of Russia's gas industry.

December 8 has been the coldest day of this winter so far, with the average temperature of minus 17 degrees Celsius in the area covered by the Unified Gas Supply System. Truly abnormal temperatures were registered in many regions, because, as you understand, minus 17 degrees Celsius is just the average temperature. A very cold weather was observed in the Middle Volga region. It was also extremely cold in St. Petersburg, especially in the first decade of December. The first decade of December turned out to be among the coldest ones in the entire history of weather observations in St. Petersburg. Providing a huge metropolis with the required supplies is, undoubtedly, a very important, priority goal, and, of course, we ensured reliable gas supplies to our Russian consumers.

Vladimir Putin: And what about our foreign partners?

Alexey Miller: Mr. President, during the autumn/winter period, we are working with our partners in a very constructive and neighborly way. In December, frosts also came to Uzbekistan, and our Uzbek friends and colleagues requested us to increase gas supplies to Uzbekistan to the amount that is twice as much as our daily obligations under the existing contract. At present, this December, we deliver to Uzbekistan the maximum technically possible volume of gas that can be transmitted via the Central Asia – Center gas trunkline.

Mr. President, the gas trunkline was put into operation pursuant to the order given by three presidents. You launched this gas trunkline on October 7. Of course, for Uzbekistan, for instance, the possibility of gas supplies via the Central Asia – Center gas trunkline in reverse flow is a very important factor during the time when said country is going through the autumn/winter period. In its turn, Gazprom, at this point of time, is technically well positioned to provide Uzbekistan with the full amount of gas requested by our Uzbek colleagues.

Mr. President, on December 23, the Company set an all-time high for its daily gas exports to China; we supplied an unprecedented volume of gas. Today, our daily gas deliveries to China are also above our contractual obligations. This year, the volumes of Gazprom's gas deliveries to China will be 1.5 times higher than in 2022. And in 2025, we will have reached the amounts provided for by our contractual obligations: in 2025, our gas supplies to China will be 38 billion cubic meters of gas.

Vladimir Putin: Excellent. Congratulations!

Alexey Miller: As for all of your instructions on gas infrastructure expansion and gas supply across the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, regarding the additional gas grid expansion program, I can report to you that in 2023 we performed 50 per cent more work to that end than in 2022. These are the results for additional gas grid expansion.

About 1,150,000 contracts will have been signed as of the beginning of 2024, and the number of the contracts is growing every day. The technical possibility has already been ensured for laying gas pipes up to the land plot boundaries under these contracts. Gas pipelines are already laid up to the land plot boundaries of 875,000 households, and gas is already being fed to 500,000 of them.

We plan to further increase the pace of our work on additional gas grid expansion and gas infrastructure expansion in the country next year. To that end, we have allocated a record-high amount of funds, namely, RUB 270.3 billion. This is RUB 33.5 billion more than in 2023. As of January 1, 2024, the gas grid coverage across the Russian Federation will be at 89 per cent out of 100 per cent of the technically possible gas grid expansion nationwide.

In 2023, more than 400 populated places were connected to gas and 2,500 kilometers of gas pipelines were laid. Therefore, without any doubt, the task of achieving a 100 per cent gas grid expansion in the Russian Federation, which was set by you, will be fulfilled by 2030.

Vladimir Putin: Perfect.

And Gazprom performs social functions, too. The Company provides considerable sponsorship through a variety of channels and implements various programs. Do you carry this work on?

Alexey Miller: Yes, Mr. President, we do. This year, Gazprom has built 115 social and sports facilities as part of the Gazprom for Children project. And I would like to highlight that this year we have launched a unique complex created under your instruction: the Martial Arts Academy in the Sirius federal territory. It is the largest facility ever built under the Gazprom for Children project.

Vladimir Putin: It is absolutely unique.

Alexey Miller: This complex is unique not only in terms of the Gazprom for Children project. It is unique on a global level, because it is the world's largest judo and sambo facility. Even Japan, where judo is the national sport, does not have anything like this. Therefore, the facility is the largest and most advanced one.

Vladimir Putin: I have visited the Kodokan, so I can draw a comparison. You are absolutely right. How long is it since Gazprom started the program?

Alexey Miller: We have been doing this work for more than 15 years already.

Vladimir Putin: I am aware of the feedback received from the regions. Thank you very much.

Alexey Miller: It is very nice to hear this.

Vladimir Putin: I congratulate you on the results of the work you have achieved. I wish all gas industry workers a happy New Year!

Alexey Miller: Thank you.